Post-radical retropubic prostatectomy inguinal hernia: an analysis of risk factors with special reference to preoperative inguinal hernia morbidity and pelvic lymph node dissection

PURPOSE: Inguinal hernia after radical retropubic prostatectomy has been reported to occur in 7% to 21% of patients. We analyzed the impact of simultaneous pelvic lymph node dissection, preoperative inguinal hernia morbidity, postoperative anastomotic stricture, duration of surgery and patient age. We also compared the detection rate of inguinal hernia events in a retrospective patient file survey to that in a prospective patient administered questionnaire. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 498 patients underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy plus pelvic lymph node dissection and 166 underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy only. Mean followup was 40 months (median 37, range 3 to 85). All 664 patients were analyzed in the patient file survey. The patient administered questionnaire was mailed preoperatively, and after 3, 6, 12, 18, 24 and 36 months to 271 patients who underwent operation between 2001 and 2002. A total of 207 patients (76.4%) completed the preoperative questionnaire. RESULTS: The cumulative incidence of inguinal hernia after 24 months was 11.6% in the patient file survey and 15.7% in the patient administered questionnaire. In the patient file survey patient age was the only studied factor that significantly influenced risk. The patient file survey failed to detect half of the men with preoperative inguinal hernia morbidity and a third of post-radical retropubic prostatectomy inguinal hernias compared to the patient administered questionnaire. On patient administered questionnaire analysis preoperative inguinal hernia morbidity was a significant risk factor for postoperative inguinal hernia (log rank Mantel-Cox test p = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: Previous inguinal hernia morbidity and age increase the risk of post-radical retropubic prostatectomy inguinal hernia. Simultaneous pelvic lymph node dissection, postoperative anastomotic stricture and duration of surgery were not significant risk factors in this study. The patient file survey is inferior to the patient administered questionnaire for detecting inguinal hernia events.